


He la Hou (It's a new day)

by lcdrsuperseal



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Coda, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode tag: s10e07, Gen, M/M, Steve McGarrett Needs a Hug, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:14:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25271482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lcdrsuperseal/pseuds/lcdrsuperseal
Summary: "I know she’s his mom and she’s dead, but seriously, fuck Doris. Danny thought to himself as he rubbed Steve’s back."Aka another 10.07 coda, this time featuring Danny coming with Steve to visit LA and his sister.
Relationships: Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams
Comments: 6
Kudos: 132





	He la Hou (It's a new day)

**Author's Note:**

> HOW IS IT JULY I STARTED THIS FIC LAST YEAR. I blame the pandemic.
> 
> This could be read as a sequel to my other 10.07 coda, [(Lifes) Terms & Conditions](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21374293), but can also be read as a stand alone. Comments & kudos are welcome! 
> 
> P.S. I PROMISE/HOPE I will finish my [31 Days of Kink Challenge](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12259596/chapters/27859644) story soon.

Danny made sure that Steve had shaved before they left Washington for L.A. The beard aged him, and also accentuated just how tired he was. But mainly, Danny didn't like the man that Steve had become with it, like it somehow acted as a barrier between them. He couldn't read his face as easily, and with Steve currently being a man of few words, that was a problem.

The flight was long. Danny had done the talking while Steve stood silent next to him with their bags, and after he flashed the check-in attendant some official paperwork from the CIA and their Five-0 badges she'd bumped them up to first class. God help him if they ended up next to another mouth breather.

Once they were in the air and the seatbelt sign was off, Steve turned to face Danny. "You didn't have to come with me, Danny." He said.

"Actually, I did… see, I made a promise to my kids to bring their Uncle Steve back to Hawaii.” Danny didn’t miss the look of guilt that Steve was quick to hide. “Not to make you feel guilty about leaving, because you shouldn’t, but it’s the truth… they missed you, babe. And when we get back, be prepared for some classic Williams family feel good food.”

Steve wiped his nose with the back of his hand, causing Danny to roll his eyes and hand him a tissue. “I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to Charlie for missing his first baseball game.”

“I also have to come with you because _I’m_ sorry that I wasn’t there. Junior wanted me to come with him, and I nearly did - I’ve had a bag packed ever since you left - but after almost ten years of chasing you around the world when you get into trouble, something… I couldn’t go, Steve. You had your SEAL buddies for the action, that’s what they’re good at. And I sort of figured that, y’know… since I told you that it was stupid, you might not want me there.” Danny picked at a bit of skin hanging by his thumbnail, unable to look at the man next to him. “But I knew that you’d need me now, with this bit, because for all the pain and suffering she put you through she was your _mother.”_

“At first when Junior showed up, I was angry,” Steve said after a few tense minutes of silence. “But then I was relieved that I wasn’t on my own any more, and I finally had a flicker of hope that I’d actually do what I went over there to do, that I’d manage to… bring her back. And for all the good they were, they weren’t you, Danno.”

Danny reached across and took Steve’s good hand in his and squeezed it tight. “Steve… I’m so sorry, babe.” He felt a stab of fear in his chest when he could tell that Steve was chewing the inside of his lips, a classic warning sign for him that tears were imminent.

“Thank you for being here now. This… ‘m not okay. Not even close. But you, you’re here, so maybe I could be.” Steve said slowly in between lots of deep breaths. He couldn’t seem to stop blinking.

“I’m here, and I’ll do whatever I can to help you, buddy, alright?” Danny turned fully in his seat, cupping the side of Steve’s face with his free hand. Steve shuddered and closed his eyes, thinking of his mother’s hand that was there only a few days ago as she looked up at him and told him that she loved him, before her hand slipped down his face as she took her last breath. But Danny’s hand was still there, solid and warm and thumbing away the tears that he couldn’t stop. “Whether you’re okay or not, I’m not going anywhere.”

Danny was not prepared for Steve to make a sound that could only be described as a wounded animal as he hung his head, his lips pursed as he forced any further noises to remind inside, and he could tell that even in the less-packed first class he was getting unwanted attention as he then started to shake.

“Excuse me, is he okay, sir?” A concerned looking flight attendant asked Danny, one eye on Steve who was now struggling to breathe.

“Hopefully he will be,” Danny said through gritted teeth as he held on tightly to Steve’s clenched fists. “He’s having a panic attack. If you’ve got any spare blankets that’d be great, though, please?” 

Once the woman came back she helped Danny to fasten one blanket across the gap between their seats and the ones in front to give them some privacy, before wrapping the others around his shoulder. Danny thanked her as she left, before giving all of his attention to the trembling man next to him. “Okay, nobody else can see us now, babe. It’s okay.” he whispered, though he then wondered why he bothered when Steve let out a loud sob.

It was painful to watch the bravest and strongest man he knew break down, and he couldn’t help but feel angry at Doris; she may be dead, but even now she’s causing her son pain. Danny pulled him into his side, tucking his face into the crook of his neck so that Steve could hide his tears, and Steve latched onto him like a limpet and would have definitely been in his lap if there was more room.

_I know she’s his mom and she’s dead, but seriously, fuck Doris._ Danny thought to himself as he rubbed Steve’s back. 

* * *

Danny was hoping to quietly excuse himself and take Joanie out back to play while Steve spoke to Mary, but as soon as she opened the door and saw the expressions on their faces, she knew why they were there. _Okay,_ he thought as she ushered them inside, _I’ll give them privacy to talk about it._ But then as soon as Mary sat across the kitchen table from them with cups of coffee for them Steve burst into tears, and both of them were at his side in a flash.

“This is why I didn’t want anything to do with her,” Mary said as she took a step back to take care of her own emotions, Danny busy mopping up Steve’s blotchy face. “I made peace with what she did to me, but look at him… it’s not fair, the pain she caused him, that she is _still_ causing him.” 

“I agree.” Danny muttered. Steve sniffed and wiped his face with the back of his hand, stubbornly ignoring the tissues thrust in his face by Mary before smiling weakly at both of them. “Feeling better, babe?”

Steve stared at him, and Danny felt as if he was staring into his very soul. “Always with you.” he whispered. Danny felt a blush creep up his face as Mary sent a pointed look in his direction; they hadn’t told many people of the change in their relationship, but Mary wasn’t dumb, and they were hardly being subtle right now.

“I, uh…” Steve swallowed. “I know I came here to talk about it but… I don’t think I want to right now, ‘m sorry.” 

“It’s okay, Steve, I get it.” Mary handed him another tissue. “Hey, I know Joanie’s missed her Uncle Steve, why don’t you go see what she’s doing in her room?”

Steve nodded before leaving the table, grateful for the opportunity to escape. Danny watched him go with a sad smile before turning to face Mary. “You sure you’re okay?” 

“I think I made peace with things a long time ago, but… I dunno. I guess knowing that she was out there somewhere gave me a bit of hope that she might come back, but now… yeah.” Mary said, before turning away to make another round of coffee. “I’ll be fine, honestly Danny. But Steve…”

Danny sighed as he accepted a fresh mug. “Yeah… Steve.” he shook his head before staring up at the ceiling, where he could just about hear Joan talking to her uncle in her bedroom above them. “I’ll be honest, I have no idea what to do with him.”

“You carry on what you’re doing now. I know I said I made peace with stuff but we both know that Steve didn’t… probably won’t ever get over it.” Mary said. “Mom’s always been a sore spot with him, I guess because he was older when she left and Dad sent us away. He took it much worse than me. And he didn’t have anyone to talk to about stuff while I had Deb. I know Joe White looked out for him but… not much of a ‘feelings’ man is he?”

“Which one?” Danny couldn’t help but joke, both of them finding comfort in the break in the tension. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist… but for real, they’re both not a fan of sharing.” Mary nodded. “Thankfully I’ve managed to get Steve to open up more since we got together.”

Mary smiled as she sipped her coffee. “He’s never rung or text as much as he has in the last few years...it’s nice. He’s happy. I miss my dork of a big brother, and I don’t want Joanie to miss out on what little family we’ve got left.”

“Well, you’ve got me, and I’m sure Steve has told you that I don’t come without enough family to make an army.”

“Thanks, Danny, that… it means a lot.” Mary didn’t give Danny much warning before wrapping him up in a tight embrace, not caring about any potential broken bones or coffee mugs. “Not that I have a lot of practice when it comes to families, though…”

Danny bit back a laugh. “Yeah, well, neither had your brother when I met him. And look at him now, practically a step-dad to my kids.”

“Mommy?”

Both adults turned at Joan’s soft voice, and Danny had a worrying feeling in the pit of his stomach at her sad face.

“What is it, baby?” Mary asked as she knelt in front of her daughter.

“We were playing, and then Uncle Steve started crying…” Joan said, and Danny pinched the bridge of his nose as she started crying, too. “I only wanted to play with the army men he got me…”

Danny left Mary to comfort her little girl as he sprinted past them, taking the stairs two at a time until he could reach Joan’s room and sink to his knees next to Steve.

“Hey… it’s okay, Steve,” Danny whispered, one hand rubbing circles on the other man’s back. “Don’t worry, everything’s gonna be-”

“ _It’s not okay!_ ” Steve’s shout startled both of them, but Danny quickly recovered and shuffled around until he could cup his face in both of his hands. “She’s dead, and I couldn’t… couldn’t stop it… just like Joe, my Dad…”

Danny shook his head. “Babe, none of those were your fault, I promise. I know it’s hard to believe but I promise, I _promise,_ that they weren’t. You did all you could to stop them, yeah, but that doesn’t mean that it was down to you. Your mom knew what she was doing. Your Dad… that was on Hesse, not you. And Joe… well, that was down to Greer selling you guys out to Omar Hassan. Not you. None of this is you.”

For a good minute Danny thought he’d got through to him, that Steve was really listening to what he said. But then his face crumpled. “Joanie, she just wanted to play and i-it just reminded me of going to get Mom. Fuck, I’m such a mess...”

“Yeah... but that’s not on you. Your dad did his best, but your mom clearly favoured her job over you guys. Not that I condone him sending his kids away… but then if he didn’t you might not have joined the Navy, and we might not have ever met.” he said, thumbing away the tears on the other man’s face as quickly as they fell.

Steve opened his mouth to reply, but closed it again to swallow past a hard lump. He looked into Danny’s eyes and the raw emotion and love he saw in them almost took his breath away. “Y-yeah…” 

“What about now, Steve?” Danny asked quietly. Not that he needed the validation, because he knew they were okay. But maybe _Steve_ did. “We’re good, right? You, me, and the kids? Even Eddie? I know things sucked before, and I’m so sorry for that, babe. But maybe your new family can help you get through this.”

Steve visibly deflated and slumped into Danny’s side. “I just feel like… I dunno, cheated? So much I never got to tell her… stuff about me, about us. And she probably wouldn’t be supportive or pleased about it, but least she would have known, y’know?” 

Danny nodded in agreement. He didn’t realise how much he took for granted; his family didn’t care that he was bi, and his family were also, y’know, _around._ “No, she definitely wouldn’t approve, pal.” he smiled sadly.

“Thanks for being here, Danno.” Steve quickly wiped his face with the sleeve of his pullover as he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”


End file.
